Apple joins Bluetooth board

After years of making Bluetooth wireless technology a standard feature of nearly every device with an Apple logo, Apple has been invited to join the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG)'s board of directors.

The SIG is a non-profit group that oversees Bluetooth development, and licenses the technology to third parties. Its members define the broad and specific strategies for the future of the technological standard.

Apple’s appointment to the board gives the company a literal seat at the table when discussing future development of Bluetooth specifications.

Apple has sold millions of Bluetooth-equipped iPhones, iPads, and iPod touches—along with many millions of Bluetooth-equipped Macs, wireless keyboards, and the Magic Mouse and Trackpad.

The SIG aims to finalise version 4.0 of the Bluetooth standard later this year. Bluetooth 4.0 will include a low-power standard designed to allow embedded electronics to run for months or years on a watch battery. Apple's presence on the SIG's board, however, ensures that the company will have a voice in the technology's future.